Catch Me If I Fall
by Zeea
Summary: Michael and Maria in an alternate Universe - Even Michael needs a knight in shinning armour


Title: Catch Me If I Fall  
Author: Zia  
Disclaimer: Me. No. Own.  
Distribution: Tell me where and link to me   
Rating: R at most  
Summary: Sometimes Michael needs a night in shinning armor too.  
Author's Note: I wrote this after a comment was made about Michael being Maria's night in shinning armor, and decided that sometimes Michael needs one too! Inspired by Lifehouse's 'Storm' 

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If I could just see you  
Everything would be all right  
If I had to see you  
This darkness would turn to light  
I will walk on water  
You will catch me if I fall  
I will get lost into your eyes  
And everything will be all right.  
-Lifehouse  
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~~~~~  
Part One  
~~~~~

Maria Deluca walked out of the back of the Crashdown lugging a bag of garbage behind her. She lifted the dumpster lid and threw it in and let it slam shut again. She saw a figure in the shadows jump and she froze. Who was over there? Who would be hiding out in the alley? So murderer? Rapist? Then she realized who it was. Of course. Michael Guerin. "What are you doing out here?" She asked her voice showing how annoyed she was. He didn't say anything and she got worried. Michael Guerin wasn't known for being a real talker like she was, but why the hell was he hanging out in some alley behind the Crashdown?! "Are you ok?" She asked, this time her voice was softer as she walked towards him.

Stopping a few feet away from him she gasped softly at what she saw. One side of his face was bruised and cut. "Oh god." She whispered. Instantly she wanted to know who had done this to him so she could chew them out. Michael's weight shifted from one foot to the other and he looked really uncomfortable. "Come on inside, I'll clean that up for you, we've even got some left over pie." He didn't move so Maria slowly reached towards him and took his hand. "Come on, it's ok. The Parkers are out of town." Maria led him back to the door and inside the now dimly lit restaurant.

Maria went and got a damp washcloth and some peroxide before walking back up to where Michael sat at the front counter. The plate in front of him was now empty, which not ten minutes earlier had held a large piece of Men in Blackberry pie. She smiled slightly, glad that he had eaten it. She wasn't sure why she felt this urge to protect him and take care of him, but she couldn't fight it. They didn't know each other. They were on completely different ends of the spectrum. She slipped onto a stool beside him and looked at him as he slowly turned to face her.

"Don't worry, I'll be carefully not to hurt it anymore than it is." She looked a little closer and realized it wasn't all that bad. A cut on his cheek surrounded by a bruise. Carefully Maria reached up with the washcloth and cleaned it gently. Michael flinched away from her at first and she swatted his leg. "Cut it out you big baby." 

Michael glared slightly, but it softened into a blank look again. His eyes stayed on hers as she worked. No one had ever really taken care of him. Other than Isabel, but she was never as gentle as Maria was being right now. She finished and stood back up and went into the back. She walked back up front and he didn't take his eyes off her. The short teal green uniform fit her curves perfectly. She was small and a lot shorter than him, and he thought it was cute. But he quickly cut off his thoughts.

"Did you get enough to eat?" She asked leaning over the counter towards him, but he didn't respond. "Are you mute now?" She asked with a slight smirk. Neither moved for a few moments before Maria spoke again. "I need to get home. I'm sure my mom is wondering where her car is."

Michael nodded shortly and stood up, scratching his eyebrow. He wanted to thank her for what she'd done, but he couldn't form the words so he leaned over the counter and cupped her face with one hand and kissed her. Their lips molded together in a soft kiss before Michael pulled back and walked out of the Crashdown leaving a stunned Maria behind him.

~~~~~  
Part Two  
~~~~~

Michael walked into the Crashdown the next day. What had brought him here he didn't know. Yes he did. It was Maria. That kiss last night was imbedded in his brain, and against his lips. She tasted like raspberries and smelled like honey. He slid into the booth he usually shared with Max and Isabel, but today he was alone. They had gone off to do some 'family' thing and he'd just shook his head and walked away. They had a good family. He didn't. He had Hank. His hand unconsciously touched his cheek where the night before a bruise and a cut had resided. But thanks to Max it was gone. He hadn't told Max about Maria helping him. So he was probably going to have to figure something out to tell Maria. Or let her believe that it was a hallucination. That would be better. Pretend last night never happened. Easy.

Well easy he thought until he saw her. The uniform looked shorter today. Her pale shapely legs strode across the diner delivering food. Michael couldn't help but wonder what they would feel like wrapped around him. He bit back a groan and hung his head low.

"Hey." He heard the soft voice that had comforted him the night before and looked up. She stood beside the table looking down at him. He saw a look of confusion cross her face at the sight of him. He had no cut or bruise on his cheek. Her mouth opened to speak when there was a loud bang and she jumped and quickly turned her head.

Maria stared in shock as her best friend fell to the floor. Her mind was in slow motion. Blood splattered across the front of Liz's uniform and she fell towards he hard tile floor. Maria screamed out her name and ran to her side, but it seemed to take forever. Finally she dropped to her knees beside her and pressed her hands against the pool of blood on the front of her friends uniform. "Liz!" She screamed again and tears rolled down her face.

Michael lept from his seat and followed. Maria was on the floor, begging her friend to be ok as she sobbed and tried to stop the bleeding. She was going to die. Within minutes she would be gone. Slowly Michael backed away, until he reached the door. He heard Maria screaming and saw her fighting against someone as they tried to pull her away from Liz's body. He closed his eyes before shoving open the door and running down the street.

Maria sat on a swing at the park, pushing herself slightly as she rested her head against the metal link. Her best friend was dead. She watched her die and there was nothing she could do about it. Maria sniffled quietly and wiped her eyes again. She still wore her Crashdown uniform with spots of Liz's blood on it. "Are you ok?" She heard a voice and looked up, and saw Michael.

Michael was mentally kicking himself at the stupidity of the question. She shook her head and looked back down at the ground. "Mind if I sit?" She just shrugged and Michael sat down in the swing closest to her. "I'm sorry about Liz." He heard her sniffle and sighed quietly. He wanted to make her feel better. Not worse. Slowly he got up and moved closer to her. He pulled her into his arms and wrapped his arms around her waist. Maria instantly clutched onto him. Her head rested on his chest and she closed her eyes.

Michael held her for hours outside in the park, in the cold and the dark. I'll walk you home. He finally said and kept one arm around her and led her towards her house. They stopped on her front step and Maria looked up at him. How could she thank him? She had no idea, but then it hit her. The same way he'd thanked her. She stood on her tip toes and pressed her mouth to his, kissing him tenderly before pulling back and going inside.

~~~~~  
Part Three  
~~~~~

Maria sat on her bed looking down at her math homework, trying to figure it out but her mind was somewhere else. It was on Michael. It had been four months since Liz died. Four months since Michael had comforted her. Since she had comforted him. And then nothing. She rarely saw him and she was curious.

She heard a soft tapping on her window and looked up and saw Michael standing there, his head hanging down. She jumped up quickly wondering if someone had hurt him again. She quickly opened her window and helped him climb inside. She whispered and then noticed the blood. It was all over his hands and his clothes. Terror set in. Was it his!? Was he hurt!? Michael? Tell me what's going on. She begged him softly and he looked into her eyes.

I killed him. He whispered and she stared in shock.

Killed who?

Hank. My foster father. He was drunkhe started hitting me again then he grabbed his gun and His voice broke and she watched a tear roll down his cheek.

Carefully Maria pulled his bloody shirt off and then rushed into her bathroom and got a washcloth. It's ok. I'll be ok. You have to go to Valenti tell him what happened.

No Maria you don't understand I can't. She took his hands and started to wash off the blood.

Why not? Michael you can get into a lot of trouble if you don't. It's better to explain it before people get really suspicious.

Maria I can't. His voice broke again and tears rolled down his face.

please? I'll go with you, things will be ok. Finally he nodded. Maria stood up and kissed his forehead softly and then quickly walked out of the room. She came back in with a clean shirt and handed it to him. One of my mom's ex boyfriends left it here. It should fit.

Michael pulled the shirt on and she touched his cheek. There was a small cut on his cheek and his lip. Come on. She said taking him out to her car and driving to the Sheriff's office.

A few hours later they finally came out of the Sheriff's office and walked out to Maria's car. I should go to Max and Isabel's.

Stay with me. Maria said softly and Michael nodded. She took him back to her house and they walked back down to her room. Together they climbed into bed and Michael instantly pulled Maria into his arms.

I want I want to- She cut him off with a soft kiss on the lips. 

I know. She whispered stretching out on her side, her body pressed against his side and kissed him tenderly.

Maria's bedroom door flew open and Amy shrieked at what she saw. Her baby girl lying in bed with a boy. Maria Rose DeLuca! 

~~~~~  
Part Five  
~~~~~

Maria jumped quickly away from Michael and looked at her mother. Get out! She shrieked staring at Michael. Get away from my daughter! Get out!

Michael jumped off the bed, his eyes quickly moved from Maria to her mother before he quickly ran out. Maria yelled. How could you do that?!

How could you?! Maria what do you think you're doing!?

We weren't doing anything!

That's not what it looked like to me!

Mom! Would you just stop it! Maria yelled before quickly running after Michael. She chased him down and grabbed his arm. Wait Michael. She begged.

No Maria I'm leaving.

What? Where are you going? To Max and Isabel's? He shook his head.

No, I'm leaving Roswell.

I have to. I don't belong here. Maria looked at him in shock. He leaned in and cupped her face and kissed her softly. Goodbye Maria. He whispered kissing her softly then turned and walked away.

  
Michael stood outside Maria's window. It had been a few months since he'd left. He hadn't found anything worth leaving Roswell for so he'd come back. She was lying in her bed sound asleep. He wondered if she was ok. Quietly he opened the window and slipped inside. He walked over to her bed and kicked off his shoes. Holding his hand up he locked the bedroom door and slipped into her bed, on top of the covers and wrapped his arms around her waist. She stirred slightly and he kissed her shoulder. I'm sorry. He whispered and she murmured something unintelligible and shifted herself backwards, firmly against his chest.

Maria woke up when Michael's arms wrapped around her. He was back. He said he was sorry and she smiled to herself. I love you. She whispered before snuggling herself farther into his chest.

-FIN-


End file.
